Sunshine 60 Explained

Sunshine 60
Native Name:サンシャイン60
Location:3-1-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro
Toshima, Tokyo, Japan
Coordinates:35.7296°N 139.7178°W
Start Date:July 1973
Completion Date:1978
Opening:March 1978
Building Type:Mixed-use
Roof:239.7m (786.4feet)
Floor Count:60 above ground
4 below ground
Elevator Count:41 (33 by Toshiba Elevator, 8 by Mitsubishi Electric)
Floor Area:241546sqm
Architect:Mitsubishi Estate Co.
Main Contractor:Joint-venture led by Taisei Construction
Developer:Mitsubishi Estate Co.
Owner:Mitsubishi Estate Co.
Highest Prev:Shinjuku Mitsui Building
Highest Next:Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Highest Start:1978
Highest End:1991
Highest Region:Japan

is a 60-story, mixed-use skyscraper located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, adjoining the Sunshine City complex. At the time of its completion in 1978, the 239.7 m (786 ft) building was the tallest in Asia,[1] a title it held until 1985 when it was surpassed by the 63 Building in Seoul. Sunshine 60 was also the tallest building in Tokyo and Japan until the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was completed in 1991,[2] and housed the world's fastest elevators (at 600m/min) until the opening of the Yokohama Landmark Tower in 1993; Mitsubishi Electric installed the elevators at the former's highest-rise bank as well as the latter, and Mitsubishi Estate owns both buildings.

Construction

Sunshine 60's foundation is made of reinforced concrete. The lower segment of the building is also reinforced concrete with a steel skeleton. The upper tower is a steel skeleton with "slitted shear walls". These unique walls were inserted between columns in the core, allowing the walls to conform to deformations in the steel frame caused by earthquakes and wind shear helping to assure structural integrity. A rigid framing structural system creates the frame. Mechanical equipment is located directly above the core of the structure on its rooftop.

Sunshine 60 was erected over the site of the destroyed Sugamo Prison, famously used to hold senior Japanese war criminals during the occupation.[3] On December 23, 1948, seven high-ranking, convicted war criminals (including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo) were hanged at the prison. It was also the site of the hanging of Soviet spy Richard Sorge during the war. In popular modern lore, the area is rumored to be haunted.[2]

Facilities

As a mixed-use high-rise, Sunshine 60's space is used for a variety of purposes. Floors 1 through 9 are used as commercial space and house a post office, banks, showrooms, cafeterias, a health care center and a day care center. Office space occupies floors 10 through 57. Restaurants are located on the 58th and 59th floors.

From the 60th floor, visitors can see as far as 100 km on a clear day from Sunshine 60's observation deck (admission fee up to ¥620[4]). To get visitors to the observation deck quickly, the observation deck bank of the tower's 40 elevators takes passengers directly from the lobby at a speed of 600 meters per minute (36 km/h, 22 mph). Between its opening and 1993 (the opening of Yokohama Landmark Tower), the observation deck elevators were the fastest in the world.[5]

Office tenants

The office floors house the headquarters of Credit Saison, FamilyMart, NTT Plala and Sammy Corporation, among other office tenants.

See also

External links

|-|-

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 日本で類を見ない“体感”とは?「サンシャイン60展望台」がリニューアル開業. 2016-04-12. itmedia.co.jp. 2023-04-02 .
  2. Web site: Sunshine 60. 2008-09-25. Skyscraperpage.com.
  3. Web site: 開業から40年たっても、池袋サンシャインシティが年3000万人を集める理由:かつては東洋一の高さ(1/5 ページ) - ITmedia ビジネスオンライン. 2019-05-04. itmedia.co.jp. 2023-04-02 .
  4. Web site: Sunshine 60 Observatory pamphlet. https://web.archive.org/web/20130412064633/http://www.sunshinecity.co.jp/english/pdf/observatory.pdf. dead. 2013-04-12. 2014-08-04.
  5. Web site: Six of the World's 10 Fastest Elevators Are in Asia. 2008-09-25. asianoffbeat.com. 2007-10-17. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120831041148/http://www.asianoffbeat.com/default.asp?Display=980. 2012-08-31.